Hawaii mulls slashing cruise calls to meet emission goals

Travel Weekly

5 days ago

Hawaii is exploring a reduction in cruise ship calls as a means of achieving transportation emission reduction goals, according to a plan drafted by the state Department of Transportation.
The plan calls for a 50% reduction in cruise calls by 2030 and an additional 50% reduction by 2035.
It makes an exception for homeporting ships, said Dre Kalili, a deputy director for the department during a recorded presentation about the plan.
Norwegian Cruise Line's Pride of America is the only large ship that homeports in Hawaii. The cruise line did not respond to a request for comment.
The benchmarks the draft plan establishes would lower greenhouse gas emissions in Hawaii's marine sector by 12% by 2030 and 17% by 2045, according to the DOT plan.
Kalili, who oversees operations of the state's commercial ports, indicated that the department would be open to different goals or benchmarks if the cruise ships calling in Hawaii were to begin operating with more sustainable fuel and plugging into shore power.
"We understand that the industry as a whole is looking at different goals to convert fleets to have vessels that are dual fuel, that can burn cleaner fuels, that are equipped for shore power, but we are not seeing that those vessels come to Hawaii," she said. "If the feedback that we get from the industry directs this to a strategy that they are willing to take on to reduce emissions from this part of maritime operation, I think we are open to that; but based on the data that we have and the trends that we see, this emerged as a strategy."
The draft plan, dated June 27, says it is intended to create a more sustainable transportation system.
"As an island chain experiencing severe coastal erosion, wildfire, drought, flooding, rockfall and frequent storms and being 2,400 miles from the continental United States, Hawaii has a critical need to strengthen its energy security and community resilience," the plan says.